Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-03-11
AGRICULTURAL.
Experiment. STA TIoN mn.

uf AN agricultural experiment station, pass
cd both houses of Congress before the adj
iuurnmrnt and is now u law. Below is the
full text Of the bill 1t viii he seen that
the appropriation becomes available for
this state upon the assent Of the governor
aud without waiting for session Of the
legislature
4 hill IS. 312l to establish agricultural
experiment stations in connection with the
colleges established in the several states un
der the provisions of an act approved July
o. 1862, and of the acts supplementary
thereto.
BE it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled. that in or
der TO aid in acquiring and dilfusing among
the people of the United States useful and
practical information on subjects connect
ed with agriculture and TO promote scien-
tifc investigation and experiments respect
ing the principles and applications of agri-
cultural science, there shall be established,
under direction of the college or colleges,
or agricultural department of colleges, in
each state or territory established, or which
NAV hereafter be established, in accordance
with the provisions of an act approved July
.. 1862, entitled IAN act donating public
lands to the several states and territories
which may provide colleges for the benefit
of agriculture and the mechanic arts, or
any of the supplements to said act, Il de
partment TO be known and designated as
an agricultural experiment station "
Provided, That in any state or territory in
which two such colleges have been or may
he so established the appropriation herein
after made to such state or territory shall
he equally divided between such colleges
unless the legislature of such state or terri
tory shall otherwise direct.
Sec , That it shall be the object and
duty of said experiment stations to conduct
original researches or verify experiments
on the physiology of plants and animals ;
the diseases to which they are severally
subject, with the remedies for the same /,
the chemical composition of useful plants at
their different stages of growth the com
parative advantages of rotative cropping
rs pursued under a varying series of crops
the capacity of new plants or trees for ac-
clinaton the analysis of soils and water
the chemical composition of manures, nat
ural or artificial, with experiments design
ed to test their comparative effects ON crops
of different kinds the adaptation and value
of grasses and forage plants: the compost
ton and digestibilty of the different kinds
of food for domestic animals the scientific
and economic questions involved in the pro
ouction of butter and cheese and such
other researches or experiments bearing
directly ON the agricultural industry Of the
United States as may in each case be deem
ed advisable, having due regard to the
varying conditions and needs of the respec-
tive states and territories.
Sec g. That in order to secure, as far II,
all of "a
suits in the work of said stations, it shall
be the duty Of the United States commits
sioner of agriculture to furnish forms, "a
far as practicable, for the tahulation of re
suits of investigation or experiments t
Indicate, from time to time, such lines q
inquiry as to him shall seem most impor
tant and, in general to furnish such ad
vice and assistance as will best promote tn,
purposes of this act 1t shall be the duty
of each of said stations, annually, on or be
fore the first day of February, to make t.
the governor of the state or territory il
which it is located full and detailed re
port of its operations, including IA stateInen
of receipts and expenditures, copy o
which report shall be sent to each of SAT-
stations, to said commissioner of agricul
ture, and to the secretary of the treasur
of the United States.
Dec. !. / ne DulleIlllS OF Reports Vi pI'lETeS
shall he published at said stations at leas
once in three months, one copy of whic
shall he sent to each newspaper in the state
and territories in which they are respeC
lively located, and to such individuals act
ually engaged in farming as may reques
the same, and as far as the means of tn
station will permit. Such bulletins or +,
ports and the annual reports of said stt
tons shall be transmitted in the mails {
the United States free of charge for pos
age and under such regulations as tn
postmaster general may from time to tim
prescribe,
Sec ;. That for the purpose of payin
the necessary expenses of conducting inve
legations and experiments, and printin
and distributing the results, as hereinbefol
prescribed, the sum of $4,000 per annu
is hereby appropriated to each state, to
specially provided for by Congress in IL
appropriations from year to year, and
each territory entitled under the provision
of section of this act, out of any mont
in the treasury proceeding from the sal
of public lands, to be paid in equal quartz
~ payments, on the LIST day of Januar
April July and October in each year,
the treasurer or other officer duly appoir
ed by the governing boards of said colleg
to receive the same, the first payment
he made ON the first day of October, 1888
Provided, however, That out of the fin
annual appropriation so received by al
station an amount not exceeding one-fif
may he expended in the erection, enlarg
ment, or repair of building or buildin
necessary for carrying on the work of su
station and thereafter an amount not c
ceeding per cent of such annual app
priation may be so expended.
Sec. 6. That whenever it shall appear
the secretary of the treasury, from the d
nual statement of receipts and expenditul
of any of said stations, that portion of
preceding annual appropriation renal
uneXpended, such amount shall be deduct
from the next succeeding annual approp
alton 10 such station, in order that
amount of money appropriated to any 5
ton shall not exceed the amount actua
and necessarily required for its maintenal
and support.
Sec. :. That nothing in this act shall
construed to impair or modify the legal
laton existing between any of the said {
leges and the government of the states
territories in which they are respectiv
located.
Sec. & That in states having colleges
titled under this section to the benefits
this act and having also agricultural
pertinent stations established by law, $
arate from said colleges, said states 81
he authorized to apply such benefits to
periments at stations so established by 81
states and in case amy state shall have
tablshed, under the provisions of said
of July ? aforesaid, AN agricultural depl
ment or experimental station, in connect
with any university, college or instit ut
not distnctively an agricultural college
school, and such state shall have establis
or shall hereafter establish IA separate al
cultural college or school, which shall h
connected Herewith an experimental ia
or station, the legislature of such state d
apply, in whole or in part, the approp
ton by this act made to such separate a
cultural college or school and no legi
ture shall, by contract, expressed or i'm
ed, disable itself from so doing.
Sec 9. That the grants of money autl
lied by this act are made subject to the
islative assent of the several states and
ritories To the purposes of said grants
vided, that payment of such installm,
of the appropriation herein made as 3
become due to any state before the adjol
ment of the regular session of its legislat
meeting next after the passage of this
shall he made upon the assent of the {
ernor thereto, duly certified to the Sc
tary of the treasury
Sec. TO- Nothing in this act shall be
or construed as binding the United ST
TO continue any payments from the treas
10 any or all the states or institutions L
toned in this act, but Congress may at
time amend, suspend, or repeal any OF
the provisions of this act.
The Rural Nermonter in commenting
this measure says it is "by far the
significant act in recognition of the q
ing Importance of agriculture that indu
has ever received at the hands of the